A Movement, not a Moment: NRY4A members lead peaceful march

Published July 23, 2020

By ALLIE HASTINGS

NORTH READING — Town residents and local community members came together at Ipswich River Park last Saturday afternoon for a peaceful and impactful march demonstration led by the student organizers of North Reading Youth for Anti-racism (NRY4A).

Lionel Beane, Sarah Bustin, Caitlyn Galvin, and Isabel Thorstad, NRHS alumni from the graduating class of 2018, were the creative brains behind the formation of NRY4A, a group that takes a peaceful but clearly-defined stance against racial injustice, police brutality and discrimination toward people of color and minorities.

They are self-described as a “grassroots group of North Reading students and recent alumni seeking action to help end white supremacy and inequality, from local life to the national stage.”

Their planned event came in wake of the peaceful protest that was held at the Town Common June 4, led by the founder of the new community group “Hornets Against Hate,” Francine Coughlin. On Saturday, approximately 100 demonstrators gathered at Ipswich River Park (IRP) where donation and voter registration tables were set up and volunteers made speeches under the gazebo.

Prior to the walk to the Town Common, a recording of Rep. John Lewis’s 1963 “March on Washington” speech was played to acknowledge his recent passing and honor the legacy he left behind. Event organizer, Caitlyn Galvin, also read a portion of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” to re-emphasize the message that marches are effective because they connect people together.

Participants were then directed to march peacefully from IRP to the Town Common via Central and Park Street sidewalks. At 6:30 p.m., the members of NRY4A took a moment of silence to remember those whose lives were tragically taken at the hands of police without due cause. A comprehensive list featuring the names of Eric Garner, Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice, and countless others was read to commemorate the victims of alleged police brutality and call attention to the ever-present issue of systemic racism.

In addition to requiring that proper social distancing protocols be followed at all times, attendees were encouraged to wear black in support of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, the leading cause behind the protest itself. Marshals were present throughout the event to ensure that all participants remained safe, peaceful and respectful of all demonstrators.

Rising juniors at NRHS – Caroline Schladenhauffen and Shivi Srikanth – both stepped up as volunteers to speak at IRP, alongside speaker Sarah Bessuille, offering their beliefs and perspective on the Black Lives Matter movement.

Schladenhauffen’s speech touched upon the fact that racism can still exist and manifest itself in covert ways, even within a safe and welcoming community such as North Reading. To give a concrete example, she explained to town residents that she has heard white kids say the N-word in school, without fearing punishment, on multiple occasions. She feels strongly that raising awareness will allow parents and teachers to grow more mindful of how to spot racial microaggressions when they occur, calling out discriminatory remarks whenever they are spoken.

“We’ve all learned from a young age to not be a bystander in these situations… even in North Reading, a place where you have a very nice school system and a very nice town and community, there are still racial issues that we have to talk about and deal with,” Schladenhauffen said.

Schladenhauffen has struggled with knowing how to handle these types of scenarios in the past but realizes now that it is more important than ever to act, rather than remain silent, in the face of hatred and ignorance. “Sometimes you’re not sure if that’s your fight to fight, but you have to realize that you still have to be there to support (the victim of discrimination).”

Srikanth, who also wanted to get involved with the march, chose to read a reflective piece she had written well before the event ever came to fruition. Her speech consisted of approaching the topic of “Black Lives Matter” from an Asian American perspective, comparing the similarities and differences between the two minority groups and pointing out the various elements of racial discrimination that both communities often encounter.

While Srikanth stated, “I’ve definitely experienced a certain degree of ignorance held toward the Asian American culture,” referring to hurtful comments she’s overheard others make about her race in the past, Srikanth modestly acknowledges that she is more privileged than many others, specifically those who hail from underserved Black and Latino communities.

Although she recognizes that North Reading is a very welcoming and inclusive town, Srikanth hopes that school districts will continue to remain open to the idea of hiring more teachers of color in the coming years – specifically Black and Latino adults – as this would increase diversity and empower many students in the classroom.

“I think our community needs to become a little bit more introspective about the biases that we intrinsically hold against people of color…I really commend (Superintendent) Dr. Daly, because he’s started having this conversation with our community,” she added.

In addition to working closely alongside the event’s organizers, Srikanth has been devoting much of her time to helping underprivileged youth; specifically, she has set up multiple GoFundMe pages with the intention of encouraging others to support and make donations to non-profit organizations that benefit people of color.

Srikanth has also recently launched “WeInnov8,” a STEM program that brings engineering design to underserved communities, and she is collaborating with the Lynn Chapter of the nationwide organization Girls Inc. to run the project online.

Furthermore, both Schladenhauffen and Srikanth are hoping to soon turn NRY4A into a club at the North Reading High School to continue the legacy that the alumni’s leaders have set in place.

Bustin, one of the four main leaders of NRY4A, believes that systemic racism has unfortunately become ingrained into society and that there are biases society must watch out for. In the coming months and years, she would like to see North Reading and other local suburban towns welcome more individuals of color into their communities, as well as give more thought to the concept of police reform.

“I’d love to see a committee at the town level that can regularly make policies with regards to racial issues,” Bustin said.

In an effort to carry out these conversations, marches, rallies, and peaceful protests that have been taking place all across the country ever since the death of George Floyd, Bustin hopes that community members will not block out the noise but rather listen to these voices calling for change.

“Protests and demonstrations are very necessary for two main reasons: They raise awareness – showcasing that a lot of people care about these issues – and empowering those who do become involved,” Bustin explained.

When asked to consider why some individuals underscore the value of coming together to support causes like the Black Lives Matter movement, growing uncomfortable when these discussions are brought to the table, Srikanth stated her belief that these feelings often stem from a simple misunderstanding of the truth, which is that marches are meant to promote education and awareness, not coercion.

“We’re not trying to target or attack any group’s beliefs in particular – everything we’re doing is really meant to be peaceful. It’s not meant to bring out hate, because we’re not sending out hate in any way,” Srikanth said.

The members of NRY4A would like to express their gratitude to all the participants and demonstrators who showed up to the march on Saturday evening, as well as the groups and individuals who helped make it happen.

They would like to specifically extend their thanks to Francine Coughlin and Hornets Against Hate, Parks and Recreation personnel, the Select Board, the North Reading Police Department, the North Reading Public Schools, NRHS Spanish teacher Amy St. Arnaud, Youth Services Librarian Danielle Masterson of the Flint Memorial Library, Youth Services Director Jen Ford, and Drug-Free Communities Grant Coordinator Amy Luckiewicz and residents Heidi Candelari and Tracy Conlon.

Those who are interested in joining or supporting the group NRY4A in their future endeavors are welcome to follow them on Facebook and Instagram @NRY4A and Twitter @NRforChange or contact them at nryouth4antiracism@gmail.com.

The group is also making donations to well-known organizations that support people of color, including NAACP, UTEC (a local non-profit that serves youth of color in underprivileged communities), Loveland Foundation, YES, and the National Police Accountability Project.